Can I Keep You?
by Tracey
Summary: Relena and her ghost shrink of a brother head to Maine to drive some ghosts out of their own house. But the longer Relena stays, the less she wants to go, because she's falling for one of the ghosts. **Chapter 11 posted**
1. The Haunting

Can I Keep You?  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own GW, or the format to this story, so yes, ahead of time: this is based on "Casper"! I   
do own, however, my own Stretch, Fatso, and Stinky. I also own Faye and Dibs.   
  
Prologue  
  
The two figures crept up to the wrought iron fence, scraping off the ivy covering it, and slid underneath.   
  
"Are you sure you want to do this, Duo?" the first asked the second.   
  
"Sure…unless you're chickening out, Hilde," Duo replied to his friend, grinning as he held up the   
flashlight to his partner's face.   
  
"Of course not!" Hilde replied hotly. "It's just that…well…" she dropped her voice to a whisper, "that   
some say the Yuy estate is haunted."  
  
"Mimblewimble," Duo muttered. "Are you going to believe that? We need to take the photo to show   
everyone at school we're not scared of some silly wives' tale, Hilde!"  
  
She sighed and followed Duo up the pathway. An owl hooted in the distance, and a sudden wind chilled   
the night air. A cloud drifted over the full moon, darken the Earth even more.   
  
Hilde shuddered and pressed herself up against Duo's back, looking this way and that, expecting a ghoul   
to pop out at anytime.   
  
"Okay, so," Duo said as they reached the front door to the house. He pushed open the door, swinging it   
open.  
  
//Creeeeeeeeaaaaaaakkkkk//  
  
Hilde shuddered again but stared up in awe. The ceiling was vaulted extremely high, the floor a green   
and red swirl on the circled floor.   
  
"Do we have to do this?" Hilde whimpered.  
  
"Do you want everyone at school to think we're chicken, Hilde?" Duo replied, raising a brow.   
  
"I can live with it," Hilde answered him. "Now, take my picture so we can get it over with."  
  
Hilde ran a few feet ahead of him, and posed dynamically for the picture. Duo held it up when something   
struck him.   
  
"Hey, wait a sec, Hilde!" Duo cried out suddenly. "I need to be in it too, or else they'll think I wasn't   
here." He walked up to Hilde, and shoved the camera into her hands.   
  
"No, you take it!"  
  
"No, you!"  
  
"YOU!"  
  
"YOU!"  
  
"Hey, can you keep it down there? I'm trying to read. But if it'll shut you up, I'll take the damn photo," a   
voice called out of the darkness.   
  
Both Hilde and Duo stopped and turned to the voice. The camera was pulled out of Hilde's hands by   
nothing, and floated a few feet above and away.   
  
"Duo…" Hilde began, and the voice continued, "say Yuy!"  
  
Both turned to the voice, raised their flashlights, and screamed.   
  
The flashlights dropped, and so did the camera and the photo. While it came to, wispy smoke flew over it,   
increasing its developing feed.   
  
The picture revealed two very frightened people, holding their flashlights, screaming.   
  
Something picked up the photo and muttered, "now to add this to my collection."  
  
{PART ONE}  
  
At the end of a long table sat a dull Lady Une, speaking in a monotonous voice.   
  
"…and to the 'Save the Ferrets Foundation' ten thousand dollars…"  
  
"Cut the crap, Une, and tell me if the faggot left me anything," a lady sitting at the other end of the table   
snapped, taking a long drag on her cigarette. She was dressed all in black: a black dress, black wide-brim   
hat, and sunglasses.   
  
Lady Une rose an eyebrow, stopping, and the man next to the lady began, "uh…I think what Faye is   
talking about is that after the untimely death of her father, she would like to uh…know what…assets he   
left her in his will."  
  
Lady Une nodded, and scanned the will. "Daughter, Faye Cardigan…um, Yuy Estate in Maine."   
  
"WHAT??" Faye choked, "I held the guy's clammy hand for two fuckin' days and all I get is a piece of   
lousy property?"  
  
Lady Une looked up, and slid the folder to the man. "It was lousy fifty years ago. Now, it's condemned."  
  
"Is that all?" Faye snapped, slamming her hands down on the table.   
  
"Yes, and I'm late for lunch, excuse me," Lady Une answered crisply and walked out of the room.  
  
"Faye," the man tried testily.   
  
"What, Dibs?" Faye sighed, grasping the folder.  
  
"It may be lousy, but it's waterfront property!" He piped up.   
  
"Whatever," Faye rubbed her temples with one hand, "I don't need this." She flung the folder into the   
fireplace, and watched it burn.   
  
Dibs jumped up, "Faye, the deed is in there!" He ran over to the fireplace as Faye took out another   
cigarette. Frowning, he read off the paper, " 'Buccaneers and buried gold, Yuy Estate doth a treasure   
hold'..."  
  
"Gold? Where?" Faye asked, squatting next to him. "Dibs, get it out!"  
  
He reached in and drew out the remains of the fire. Blowing on it, Faye sighed as it crumpled into a piece   
of ash.   
  
"Well, we're going to Maine, I guess," she stated simply.   
  
"Faye, my hand…" Dibs whimpered, "I think I need a doctor." His hand was all black, a faint trace of   
smoke coming from the tips of his fingers.   
  
"There's plenty of doctors in Maine," Faye said, not glancing back, and grasped that hand, pulling him   
out the door.  
  
* * * * *   
  
It was raining by the time they got there, pouring down hard onto the metal of the sleek, black BMW.   
Dibs rubbed his hand on the windshield, drawing in a breath.   
  
Turning to Faye to see if she shared his excitement, his grin disappeared once he saw the evil smirk on   
her face. "What do you think?"  
  
"I think you're going to get wet." She answered. He climbed out and opened the gates, waiting for her to   
drive in and stop. When she didn't, he ran after the car, slipping in the mud and calling, "FAYE! WAIT   
UP!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
They walked into the magnificent building, looking around for anyone in particular that could show them   
around.   
  
"Now what?" A voice called out, making them both jump. Faye hid behind Dibs in a long trench coat,   
wrapping that around herself as a cover.   
  
"Ask who's there?" she whispered to Dibs.  
  
"Who's there?" he called loudly.   
  
"I'm afraid I can't answer your question," the cool, heartless voice continued. Dibs shuddered, but   
glanced back at Faye.   
  
"Ask him if he's a caretaker," she instructed.   
  
"Are you a caretaker?" He called.   
  
"No."  
  
Frowning, Dibs called out again, "Are you a transitive?"  
  
"Sort of," the voice answered after a pause.  
  
"Are you a burglar? I must warn you, I'm armed," Dibs called, drawing a cell phone from his inside   
pocket. It rang as he pulled it out. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey, cut the crap man, and get out before I call the cops and tell them someone is trespassing on my   
property!" Faye snapped in her rough voice. Her ice-blue eyes narrowed dangerously.   
  
"Fine, sheesh, I'll come out on more promise," the voice answered her coolly, in the same tone.   
  
"Oh? And what's that?" Faye asked, flicking out her lighter. She handed it to Dibs, who brought his   
bandaged hand over to shield the flame from the icy house. His thumb caught on fire, but he didn't notice.   
  
"That you don't scream. It hurts my ears," the voice snapped back at her.   
  
She looked over at Dibs, and saw his hand, glancing at it, he yelped, and cried out, "ah! Ahh! Ahh!" And   
stomped on his own hand.  
  
"Okay, deal!" Faye shouted, her voice cracking from its rashness.   
  
"Okay, here I come," the voice said, and they spotted a shadow come out of one of the side-rooms. Steps   
echoed along the floor as it came closer, staying in the shadows. Finally a few feet away, it emerged.   
  
Wide-eyed, Dibs and Faye stared at the figure. Their mouths hung open in a gape, not moving.   
  
"What?" the figure snapped. It was a young teen with messy hair and shocking Prussian eyes. He wore an   
old suit, a dress shirt and pants, but what was shocking, was…well…he, was transparent.  
  
Faye started making sounds first, then Dibs, and finally, they both screamed together.   
  
"AHHHHHHH!" they screamed. "A GHOST!"   



	2. The Shrink and the Loner

Can I Keep You? 2  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own GW, or the format to this story, so yes, ahead of time: this is based on "Casper"! I   
do own, however, my own Stretch, Fatso, and Stinky. I also own Faye and Dibs.   
  
{PART TWO}  
  
Dibs and Faye ran out of the house, and slammed the doors shut to her black BMW, and got the hell out   
of that lot.   
  
Finally reaching their hotel, Faye snapped at Dibs to wake her tomorrow morning and they would finally   
get started on her plan.   
  
* * * * *  
  
PLAN A:  
  
Resting her back on her car, Faye pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and turned to the man who had just walked   
up the path.   
  
"So you think you can handle it?" She asked him sourly, taking in his appearance. He wore all black, a   
priest suit (it's not Duo!) and a black hat. A cross hung outside his robes, and a Holy Bible was resting in   
his hand.   
  
"Yeah, I know what I'm doing. I've seen the movies and I'm pretty confident. Piece of cake. Piece of   
crumb cake!" He said, and walked up to the building. He opened the door, as Dibs and Faye sunk behind   
the car, watching intensity.   
  
There was a laughing sound, a crack, and the door burst open. Moss, spiderwebs and other things hung   
from the priest's hat as he walked down the steps.   
  
"Well? How's it go?" Dibs demanded.   
  
The priest turned around, showing them that his head was twisted backwards. "Piece of cake, crumb   
cake."  
  
PLAN B:  
  
There was more laughter as Faye and Dibs watched the house, waiting for news. The man wearing bulky   
machines on his back and a green jump suit ran out the house as a chair came flying by them.   
  
"Whoa re you going to call?" he asked. Raising a finger, he grinned a bit before running away. "Someone   
else!"  
  
"Now what?" Dibs asked her as they climbed back into the car and to town. Faye slid in by the steering   
wheel and faced him.   
  
"What do I do when something stands in my way of a treasure?" she asked him.   
  
PLAN C:  
  
The demolition crew worked feverously into the night and day on the outside, before a bunch ventured in.   
While Faye watched patiently for any news, Dibs stood behind checking things off with his clipboard.   
  
Soon, expectedly, laughter sounded and soon the men were climbing into their cars and driving away as   
fast as they could from Yuy Estate.   
  
"Please, people! A few ghosts can't hurt you!" Faye called out. "DIBS! Do something!"  
  
Dibs only shook his head and threw his hands up to Faye. Their ghost they met on the first day stood on   
the verandah, and shouted after them, "AND STAY OUT!!"  
  
* * * * *   
  
The ghost sat down on one of the plush, yet dusty, armchairs and clicked on the still-running TV.   
Flipping through channels, he past a Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoon, Unsolved Mysteries and landed   
on CNN.   
  
"…are you lonely? Depressed? Well, you've come to the right place, if you're a ghost!" the newscaster   
said into the camera. A young man with long, platinum blond hair appeared on the screen.   
  
"Meet Zechs Marquise, also know as Millardo Darlian (I know it's Peacecraft, bear with me). Zechs is a   
shrink for the spirits in the afterworld, and gave up being a shrink for humans after the sudden death of   
his wife, Lucretiza Noin. Now, with his younger sister, Relena, he travels the world for in-need spirits."  
  
"Faye and Dibs," the ghost smirked. "At least it's not them."  
  
He ignored the "Hey, Heero, you weakling!" from his Uncle WuFei who was in the middle of a fencing   
match with his other Uncle Trowa as he flew by them and into town.   
  
Finally reaching Faye's hotel, he found her cable line and turned the TV on to CNN. Faye was on the   
phone, arguing something about bottled water when she noticed the TV.   
  
"…my husband Harry was so restless, his spirit didn't want to leave the house; I called Dr. Zechs and a   
week later, Harry left, with a smile." The old lady with a distorted face said.   
  
"This week, Dr. Zechs Marquise is in L.A. but next week, they could be anywhere." The newscaster   
finished her report.   
  
"Yes, I'm here…"Faye trailed off. "Forget the water. Get me L.A."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Relena had one foot resting out the window, dangling to the beat of her walkman which just happened to   
run out of batteries at the best part.   
  
"Damn," she murmured.   
  
"What's that, Relena?" Zechs asked, switching off the radio he'd been singing to.   
  
"Nothing, Millardo," Relena sighed.  
  
"Oh, Rel…whatever those kids said, its not true, you are not crazy," Zechs said, trying to console Relena.   
  
"They weren't talking about me, Millardo! They were talking about you and your crazy job. Try   
explaining afterlife shrink stuff to a bunch of grade nines." Relena pouted. "I just want to stay in one place   
at one time for more than two weeks."  
  
"But you were so happy to pack"— Millardo was interrupted by Relena's explosion.   
  
"NO! You have packed up my stuff, drove me to nearly forty different states," Relena sighed. "For once, I   
want to stay in one place for longer then two weeks."  
  
Millardo frowned and pulled the car off the abandoned highway.   
  
"Wha?" Relena broke off, sitting upright, and bringing her foot inside.   
  
"Listen, if I don't get anything this time, I promise it's the last," Millardo said, leaning over to look   
Relena in the eyes.   
  
"The last? No more moving around, packing?" Relena asked him in disbelief.   
  
"Promise."  
  
Relena held out her pinkie and they did a pinkIe-promIse. "To Friendship Harbor, Maine!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
They finally arrived in Maine and the town in late afternoon, driving up the Yuy Estate pathway. They   
spotted Faye and Dibs right away.   
  
Millardo got out of the car with Relena, and they looked up at the Victorian house. Faye walked over to   
Millardo and said, "Mr. Marquise, so nice to see you!"  
  
They shook hands and Millardo looked around, finally noticing Dibs.   
  
"oh, this is Dibs, and I am Faye Cardigan. DIBS, check," Faye snapped her fingers, and Dibs held it out   
across Millardo. He tried to pluck it, but Faye reached for it first.   
  
"Now, what's the timeline for this? Do you just spray and walk away?" she asked.   
  
"Um…no, this may take from days to weeks to months to years even"—  
  
"Days, best, weeks, no…" Faye demanded, answering him sternly. "Months, forget it! Years, out of the   
question."  
  
Dibs repeated her. "Forget it! Out of the question!"  
  
Dibs picked something up out of the car as Faye looked over to Relena. "You're sister?"  
  
"Hi, I'm Rel"—  
  
"Nice to meet you, aren't you pretty? What are you doing with your brother working with ghost? Aren't   
you a little too young?" Faye fired, grasping Relena's chin.   
  
"Could you…uh…let go? You're kinda hurting me," she muttered. Once Faye let go, Relena rubbed her   
chin and tossed her honey-blonde locks over her shoulder.   
  
Dibs came back from the car and slammed a vase into Millardo's arms, which was over-flowing with   
flowers.   
  
"These are for you. Enjoy you're night," Dibs said seriously, and he and Faye drove away and down the   
path, leaving too very confused Darlian's behind.   



	3. The Ghostly Trio

Can I Keep You? 3  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own GW, or the format to this story, so yes, ahead of time: this is based on "Casper"! I   
do own, however, my own Stretch, Fatso, and Stinky. I also own Faye and Dibs.  
  
AN: Yes, Trowa is probably Stretch, WuFei Fatso and Treize (WAHAHAH!) Stinky. Quatre and Dorothy   
are kinda the bad guys, as in school-wise, okay?  
  
**  
  
Relena and Millardo entered the main foyer in utter awe. The room itself could've fit twenty of their   
Volkswagen. They stared up at the ceiling and at the same time dropped their bags nosily to the ground.   
Relena then blinked out of her stupor and grabbed her duffel bag and bedroom box.   
  
"I'm going to find my room, now, okay, Millardo?" Relena asked, picking started up the tall, carpeted   
staircase.   
  
"Be careful, Lena, you never know what ghouls and goblins their could be here!" Millardo called to her   
retreating back.   
  
"Funny!" Relena called. "This house would only hold Dracula and even he wouldn't come here! Get the   
lights!"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Millardo grumbled and headed to find the basement, holding his flashlight ahead of him,   
glancing every once in a while behind.   
  
'I don't know….something about this place makes me jumpy…' he thought, before spotting the lightbox   
and did some complicated wire-switches. He then shot the lever up and the whole Estate lit up.   
  
  
  
Heero, the ghost that Faye and Dibs screamed it, was sitting at his favourite spot in the old Victorian   
house. Sitting by some kind of fire, he was reading an ancient book when the lights suddenly burst on.   
  
"What the?" He said, then decided to float, invisible, out to the foyer. He spotted the dumped bags and   
saw Millardo dusting his hands off as he appeared out of a doorway under the staircase.   
  
Narrowing his eyes, Heero decided he should find the other intruder before his uncles came home. They   
didn't like strangers, much less Fleshies, in their house unknown.   
  
Floating up two stories and down three hallways, he slipped into his room, making sure nothing was out   
of place. Sighing in relief, he began floating down the hall when he saw a teen, his age (more or less by a   
couple of hundred years) round a corner. He immediately went invisible again.   
  
  
  
Relena was extremely jumpy.   
  
"This house gives me the creeps. How could Milli take a job here? Sheesh, it's the dumps," she muttered   
to herself, finding it eased her nerves. She randomly chose a door and opened it.   
  
Finding the light switch, she watched the room become engulfed in light. Squinting, she read the beds'   
headboards names out.   
  
"Trowa…WuFei…Treize? Man, they had some cool parents. I wonder where Doc and Dopey sleep," she   
yawned and shut the door after turning off the light behind her.   
  
Unknown to her, someone was watching her move from one room to another before she found her perfect   
room.   
  
Flicking on the light, she looked around. Four post bed stood against a wall with two night stands beside   
it. A balcony to the beds' left, a closet and washroom to its right. A dresser across from the bed made it   
the perfect bedroom.   
  
"MILLARDO!! I FOUND MY ROOM!" Relena bellowed over her shoulder. She dumped the box on the   
bed and the duffel bag on the ground.   
  
She flopped down on the bed, and then frowned.   
  
'I don't remember a pillow here…but whatever…it's real lumpy!' She thought, then began punching its   
sides to get it more comfortable. Giving that up (it was a lost cause) she leaped off the bed and dumped   
out her duffel bag, which consisted of dirty clothes.  
  
She found her hiking boots and pulled out a sock from one. Narrowing her eyes, she sniffed it, exclaimed,   
"ugh!" and there is behind her to start a new pile.   
  
Unknown to her, a ghost behind was trying to make his entrance, when a sock landed in his open mouth   
as he was about to give this teen a verbal lash.   
  
Baffled, Heero shook his head and spat out the sock, hitting the back of Relena's head. She froze, her   
eyes wide as she stood and turned around.   
  
Blinking, she came face to face with a transparent teen. If she ignored the obvious, like, he was dead, or   
transparent, Relena assumed he would've been fairly handsome. The messy hair and piercing Prussian   
eyes made Relena shiver. But there was one fact she still couldn't ignore.   
  
He was a ghost.   
  
Relena hit the floor as she fainted.   
  
"Dammit." Heero muttered. "I can't have another ghost inhabiting this Estate." He went to the bathroom,   
turned the tap on. He waited until the water wasn't a murky brown, but a clear colour before he came back   
to the teen.   
  
He twisted his hand, where the water was held, and watched it hit Relena's face. Her eyes fluttered open.   
  
"You okay now?" asked Heero in his cool monotone.   
  
Relena blinked once more before screaming. Heero reared back and disappeared.   
  
After a few seconds of Relena trying to calm herself, Millardo came racing into her room.   
  
"Lena, what's wrong? Tell me!" Millardo said, helping her stand. She took his hands and blurted out, "I   
saw a ghost!"  
  
"What? Lena, you're not making any sense!"  
  
"I saw a ghost, Millardo! I saw a ghost! A real ghost, well, not alive real, but real, he was there, infront of   
me…and…" Relena trailed off, her nervousness replaced by fear.   
  
"A ghost?" Millardo asked. "Relena, you know ghosts can't hurt us."  
  
Relena nodded numbly, and gestured around her room. Millardo also nodded and knelt. He pulled up the   
covers to the bed, and grinned.   
  
"No ghost under here."  
  
He then went to the closet, opened the door, and saw nothing. "No ghost here either, Lena. You sure you   
saw something?"  
  
Relena crossed her arms and pointed to the bathroom. Getting the hint, Millardo opened the door.   
  
"There? See? No ghost"— Opening it, he looked it and then back at Relena before his jaw opened. There   
stood Heero, leaning against the frame.   
  
"Hey," Heero coolly replied.  
  
"G—G—Ghost!"  
  
He slammed the bathroom door, picked up Relena, tossing her over his shoulders, and ran down the hall.   
They raced down the hall.   
  
"I can walk, you know! Millardo, this is crazy! YOU ARE A GODDAMN HYPOCRITE!" Relena was   
saying as she spun around in a circle as Millardo turned and looked backwards before going forward   
again.   
  
He opened a door and shoved Relena in. They were silent for a bit before Millardo found the lightbulb.   
Pulling the chain, the light turned on and Relena smirked.   
  
"Brother, we are in a broom closest." Relena pointed out, staring up at Millardo.   
  
He sighed and said, "I know. Listen, you stay here, no matter what you hear, understand?" Relena nodded   
and he opened the door.   
  
"Millardo?"  
  
He turned back to look at his little sister.   
  
"Be careful, and I'm sorry for what I said in the car."  
  
"Aw…Lena…apologize later!" He slammed the door in her face and the lightbulb flickered before going   
off.   
  
  
  
"Great job, Yuy! You didn't even get them out of the house, they ran before you could say 'Boo!'," Heero   
said, banging his head on the wall. "Some ghost you are! Can't even scare 'em off the property!"  
  
He was about to bang his head again when the balcony door burst open and laughter was heard from the   
outside.   
  
"Oh no…my uncles are here…" Heero moaned, and proceeded thinking about which punishment he   
would get for not scaring Fleshies out of the house.   
  
Three other ghosts appeared.  
  
The tallest stood in the middle, he was obviously the leader. He had long, spiky bangs covering one of his   
eyes. He was also very lanky built. The one beside him, shorter and much more round, had slicked-back   
black hair and narrow eyes. He seemed to always be pissed off about something. The other and last one,   
was almost as tall as the first, but had only three little pieces of hair falling over his eyes, and they barely   
reached them anyways. He seemed proud and very happy.   
  
"Hold it, boys," the first one said slowly. "Do you smell something?"  
  
The second looked over at the third. "Yeah," he grumbled. "Treize, when was the last time you had a   
bath?"  
  
"A month ago, I'm a ghost, I don't need to take a bath," Treize sniffed.  
  
The second growled and shouted, "INJUSTICE! I REFUSE TO LIVE WITH A SMELLY GHOST!"  
  
"You smell too, WuFei," the first one pointed out and then frowned. "I mean something else besides   
Treize."  
  
They both sniffed and wicked grins appeared on their face. "Fleshies," they said together. Heero suddenly   
appeared before them, blocking their entrance to the house.   
  
"Move out of the way, Heero," the first one said, sneering.   
  
"Um…how about we eat outside tonight?" He tried, casting a glance behind him.  
  
"Liar," Treize sniffed sullenly, and spotted a flower. "Will this suffice if I wear it, WuFei? It should   
honor me."  
  
WuFei rolled his eyes and listened in on Trowa and Heero's conversation.   
  
"You're up to something, Heero, I can see right through that transparent head of yours," Trowa snapped,   
thrusting his arm through Heero's head and tapped the back as it came out the other side.   
  
"No, I'm not…" Heero shifted uncomfortably and backed away so Trowa's arm was out of his head.   
  
"Sure," WuFei mumbled. Trowa shot him a look to shut him up. Turning to Heero, he floated in front of   
him.   
  
"There's some fleshies here and I intend to have some fun," he grinned, beckoning the other two to join   
him.   
  
  
  
Millardo nervously made his way down the hall.   
  
"I don't want to hurt you," his voice stammered as he called down the silent halls. He turned a corner and   
saw three ghost standing there.   
  
"BOO!" they all said, making bloody, nauseating and ever-so-disgusting faces one could imagine.   
Millardo fainted then in there, but quickly regained conscious.   
  
He staggered into a bathroom, finally splashing some water onto his face. He then straightened his back   
and got ready to face those three again.  
  
'If I can,' he thought miserably. Stepping out of the bathroom, he started down the hall when the red   
carpet curved upwards, creating a bump. It began heading towards him. Stepping backwards, Millardo's   
foot got caught in a metal bucket that was left there for ages.   
  
Tripping, he fell right on the edge of the staircase. Gripping as tightly as he could the red floor carpet, he   
tried to pull himself up but the nails gave out. He pulled the carpet over him as he was rolled into a ball in   
the carpet. It unraveled at the floor and landed at a stop infront of the three ghosts. They raised their arms   
and something flashed in Millardo's eyes.   
  
Three swords narrowly missed him as he flipped over and rolled out of the way. Grasping a plumber's   
plum, he cried out, "AHA!" before realizing what he had. Before he had time to react, he was engaged in   
a sword fight.   
  
Trowa made a trust at him, but missed as the plum attached itself to Trowa's hair and began pulling.   
  
"ACK!" Trowa called out. The suction became undone. Trowa went flying backwards hitting WuFei and   
they landed on the wall in agony. They slid down, moaning.   
  
Treize did a battle-cry and lunged at Millardo. "Who the hell do you think you are, coming into our house   
like this?"  
  
A trust was blocked. "Doctor…"  
  
A jump to the side made him miss getting hit. "Millardo…"  
  
Plunging the plumb at Treize, he missed but blocked another thrust. "Darlian."  
  
He looked up at Treize as Trowa and WuFei appeared beside him. They each raised their swords and   
brought them down on the plumb, but it held. Straining against the weight, Millardo choked out, "your   
therapist."   
  
"WHAT?" Trowa cried out, as they charged Millardo down. He ran ahead of them, and shut the door in a   
closet. Looking around, he grinned before coming out of it again.   
  
"WAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" He declared, emerging with a….  
  
A vacuum.  
  
"What the hell is that?" WuFei asked, pointing at the long hose. Flicking a switch, the vacuum came to   
life and began sucking air in.   
  
Aiming at Treize, he began to disappear, getting sucked into the hose. His tail was the first to go, then his   
upper body as he looked frantically back at his friends who watched in horror.   
  
Treize disappeared with a "whumpth!". Millardo turned to Trowa and WuFei who looked at him   
furiously.   
  
"So, who's next?" Millardo grinned. "We're on a fair game level now."  
  
  
  
Relena tried the knob again. "MILLARDO!" She screamed as loudly as she could, but it wouldn't budge.   
Bracing herself, she lunged forcefully at the door just as it flew open. She called out as she fell, but before   
she hit her face on the ground, she was held up by someone.   
  
Opening her eyes, she looked down and saw a ghost under her with messy hair and cold Prussian eyes.   
Gasping, she got off him and backed away down the hall, still watching him. He got up, brushed himself   
off and glared at her.   
  
"What do you want?" He snapped. She shook her head, wide-eyed, and ran down the stairs on the other   
side of the entrance.   
  
Looking around, she saw Millardo engaged in a sword fight with three other ghosts.   
  
'Oh God…yes, this is really shrink stuff. Now what am I going to say as an introduction to people here?   
"Hi, my name is Rel, I live with my brother and four ghosts". Yeah, I like that,' rolling her eyes, Relena   
watched Millardo say something to the ghosts before they charged at him. He shut a closet door behind   
him.   
  
"Wahahah, what a sucker," the fat one bubbled.   
  
"MILLARDO!!!" Relena screeched, running the rest of the way down the stairs.  
  
"Great job boys," the tallest said, and they turned away, spotting Relena when the door burst open and   
Millardo appeared with a vacuum in his hands. He shouted in triumph before he sucked the skinny, short   
one into the machine.  
  
"Millardo?" Relena asked weakly. She rose a brow in question and shook her head finally. Millardo   
sucked the last two into the vacuum. He blew the top like he was in a stand-off in the Wild West. Relena   
ran to him and up the stairs on the other side.   
  
"Millardo, are you okay?" She called. "Who were they?"  
  
"I'm fine," he said, shakily. He hugged her and looked at the bulging vacuum bag.   
  
"Hey, get off my foot, Trowa!"   
  
"I can't, WuFei's head is in my way!"   
  
"That's not my face, Trowa…"  
  
"The tenants, Relena. We'll be safe tonight," Millardo assured her and they walked away. Groans and   
moans were coming from the bag until there was silence. Then:  
  
"WUFEI! THAT WAS NASTY! NOW IT SMELLS TWICE AS WORSE WITH TREIZE OVER HERE   
TOO!"  



	4. Heero Yuy

Can I Keep You? 

PART FOUR 

Dawn's rays began to touch, creeping ever-so-lightly on the cliff that rose to hold the old house up. The Yuy Estate had seen many dawns and sunsets, and this one was no different than the rest. 

Relena yawned and climbed out of bed, glancing at her clock as she did this. She turned on her clock radio and she dancing around the room to get her stuff. 

Once dressed, she ran down the hallway and the stairs. She, however, did not forget her portable hand vacuum. She pushed open a door she not seen yet, and pushed it open, her vacuum in first. 

It whirred to life, sucking in air but no ghosts. Sighing a breath of relief, Relena stepped into the room and looked around. An old stove sat in one corner, a weird machine hooked up to it. She edged away from it, but gasped in surprise when the ghost who was in her room appeared by the stove. 

"Hungry?" he asked in monotone. 

"Yes," Relena nodded, placing herself in a seat across from him. She watched his every movement with skeptical eyes. 

He seemed to be fixing something in a frying pan, and when he reached for the spatula did Relena see a gash on his arm. 

"Did that hurt?" she blurted out, then blushed. She looked down at her plate and blinked in surprise when a plate of eggs, bacon, french toast, and grits appeared in front of her. 

"If you mean my scar, no," he replied. Straight to the point, Relena observed. 

"Oh," she pressed her lips into a thin line. She then had another thought and she voiced it only after a few seconds of thought. 

The ghost watched her for a bit and then decided to get up and leave the room, when her voice stopped him. It was barely above a whisper, but he heard it. 

"Did it hurt to die?" 

He turned his head away from her, so she saw his back, and he coolly answered, "I don't know. I know remember." 

Relena said nothing more, but as he reached the wall, she realized that he could go through it. "WAIT! What's your name? Mine is…mine, is Relena Darlian." 

Another pause. "Heero Yuy." He then disappeared through the wall, leaving Relena alone to her thoughts about a certain ghost. 

"Heero Yuy…so that's your name." 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Millardo knocked on Relena's door, hearing muffled voices coming from inside it. 

"Relena?" He asked, opening the door. He was met with an empty room. He first spotted the bed that was un-made and messy. He then saw her night clothes on the floor, her slippers missing. 

The night-stand radio played a current song, which Millardo faintly heard. "…and today we have Garbage's _Temptation Waits_." 

Millardo walked over and switched the song off right away, and smirked a bit. He just had an image of Relena in the kitchen. His own stomach growled, and he knew where Relena was right away. Food before thought, was her motto. 

He then headed down to the kitchen, which he had no idea where it was, but nonetheless, and sure enough, found Relena there. 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Relena smiled up at Millardo as he walked into the room, who raised an eyebrow at her meal. 

"I thought you didn't know how to cook," Millardo stated, settling down beside her, in one of the many vacant chairs. 

"Neither do I; Heero made it for me," Relena said before placing a mouthful of pancake into her mouth. 

"Heero? Who's that?" 

"One of the ghosts here," Relena said, after rinsing her mouth with orange juice. "He's fairly nice-looking, for a ghost I mean," she quickly added at her brother's arched eyebrows, "and he's quite shy, I believe, or not used to talking to humans, which is plausible." 

"Uh huh… and you were talking to him when?" Millardo asked, looking around the room. A stack of pancakes were waiting for Millardo in one of the pans, so he got off his seat quickly and dumped a few onto his plate. 

"This morning, a few minutes ago, I s'pose," Relena chewed thoughtfully. "But one thing puzzles me…" She began to move her fork with her fingers as she talked to her brother. 

"That is?" 

"I asked him if it hurts to die… y'know, because of Noin and all, but when he didn't reply, I was like," Relena took a breath, "okay then, don't talk to me, fine… but he said, 'I don't know. I don't remember'. It was soooo weird." 

"Doesn't remember?" Millardo echoed doubtfully. 

"Yeah, but don't ghosts only stay in this world because they have unfinished business? Or because they had a violent death?" Relena asked, clanking her fork onto her plate and bringing it to the sink. 

"Yes; it usually does… but maybe… there's something special with him… something to why he stayed back, a reason perhaps?" Millardo asked, mainly to himself. "Anyway, have a nice day." 

He held out a brown paper bag to Relena who stared at it. "Waddya mean?" 

"You don't want to be late for the first day of school, do you?" Millardo asked, grinning a bit. 

"The lil missy goin' to school?" a snort came out of thin air and one of the ghosts with jet black, slicked, hair stood, with his arms crossed. 

"Stop being so mean, WuFei, the first day is always the hardest… I remember my first day at school," another voice came, as a taller man with short, sandy brown hair and the rose in his pocket appeared in one of the chairs across from Relena. Relena took a liking to him right away; he was very kind and pleasant. 

"Well, she better get going now then — its at least a five minute walk into town by the harbor, and two more to the high school. I do believe she's in high school, is she not?" Came a third voice, and the one who staged an attack at Millardo yesterday, the one with the long brown bangs, asked. 

"Yeah; tenth grade," Relena said to them, and picked up her backpack that she carried downstairs with her. "Anything I need to worry about?" She asked teasingly. 

"No, there's nothing to worry about, m'dear," the second ghost said, smiling slightly. Relena smiled back, and then announced, "well, I'm on my way — see all of you later!" 

"Bye," Millardo called out after her — as did the long banged one and the one with the rose. 

Millardo left the room after saying he'd be in the study, and the one with the rose turned to one in the shadows. 

"Heero, follow her. She needs all the support she can get, especially if she ends up with Winner and Catalonia in her class." 

"Right, Uncle Treize," Heero nodded, and disappeared.   
  
  


Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Does that help? 

Anita: sorry this took so long to get out — I have tons of test and assignments lately and its been hell. Please me patient, I'm also working on around five different stories and I'm in the middle of a writer's block, the only reason I can still write this one is because its based on Casper. 

Wish me luck! Also, I'm searching for a muse — any idea to where I can get one? =) thanks for reading! Bye!   



	5. Heero's Evil Trick & Hilde and Duo

###  Can I Keep You?

####  Part 5

  
Relena sighed, and shifted the weight of her backpack to her other shoulder, before she actually took a look around her surroundings. 

If she thought San Diego was cool, then the word "cool" here was ironic. Relena shivered a bit, drawing her windbreaker closer to her body, as she turned up a notch on her walk to a past pace. She passed many quaint houses, with many US flags fluttering in the light breeze. 

A loud //_bring_// from behind her made Relena jump in surprise and turn to see a girl on a bike hurtling at top speed at Relena. She jumped onto the grass as the girl passed — Relena got a good look at her. 

She had long, blonde-platinum hair, with chilly gray eyes and weird looking eyebrows. She wore a red vest over a blue tee and beige khakis. 

"Watch it, you road-hog!" she had yelled at Relena. Relena stared after her, and dimly noted, _I hope not all people are like this here… it may be hell._

"Sorry!" A voice said, breaking into Relena's thoughts. She looked up to see a young teen, her age, on a mountain bike. He had blond hair and king aqua-green eyes. "She's mad on a bike — hey, Dorothy, wait up!" He then sped away. 

Relena smiled back at him, and then holsted her bag up to her right shoulder and started to school with a new feeling — maybe she wouldn't be that lonely anymore. 

>>> 

Heero grunted from where he was behind a tree, watching Relena as she walked up to the school. It was an old, liver-red building that Heero had gone to school in. 

_But how do I know that?_ Heero thought, a doubt of uncertainly creeping into his thought. He brushed it aside, and returned to his task, watching this "Relena" and making sure she had a good first day — any way he could. He wouldn't dare to upset his Uncles, actually, they had done some weird things to him in the past… 

Shaking his head, he now noticed Relena had gone inside the school and the bell rang. Heero grinned. _Time for the fun._ At this, he chuckled evilly. (Dear Lord… O.o) 

>>> 

Relena made it to her first class before her teacher did. Only a few students were in their seats. Taking one in the back, she watched students come into the class one by one and glance at her as she buried herself in her book. 

It was only when the teacher came did the class settle down; it had grown quite loud since Dorothy and her blond friend came into the class, when Relena groaned inwardly. 

"Settle down, settle down," her teacher yelled, as the students righted themselves and sat forward. "We have just received a new student, could 'Peacecraft, Relena' come forward please?" 

Relena blushed lightly and stood, backing away from her desk before moving to the front of the class. Dorothy sat in the first row, smiling smugly at Relena. 

"Peacecraft?" She purred. The class broke into giggles; Relena was sure only a few were laughing because Dorothy was popular. Two people weren't laughing; Relena didn't notice them before, but they were also in the back, sitting closely together and staring sympathetically at Relena. 

"Actually, it's Rellie," Relena said. "It's my nickname." 

"Woah Nelly! Here comes Rellie the horsy!" Dorothy laughed again, and she got more giggles and snorts. 

The teacher sent a warning finger to her, but only when she quieted down, did the teacher turn to Relena and ask, "so, Relena, where are you from?" 

"San Diego, New York, Detroit… I moved around a lot," Relena shrugged. She looked up form the floor and blinked. Heero stood, semi-transparent at the back of the classroom, behind the two students who weren't laughing. 

He brought up a finger in a silent salute before going transparent, and Relena glanced down again, only to stiffle a laugh as she noted all the shoes of the students were entwined with their laces. 

"Anything else?" 

"Um… Friendly Maine looks like a…uh… friendly place… er, so far…" Relena trailed off, and there was a fake snore coming from the back. 

"You can sit down now, Relena. Well, on some bad news, the asparagus in the gym is taking longer to remove, so the Halloween dance is going to be moved… a couple of months later…" the teacher smiled sadly, and Dorothy shot up her hand. "Ms. Catalonia?" 

Dorothy smiled smugly again, and rose from her seat elegantly. "As you all know, my parents own the second largest" — she shot a glance at the blond here — "house in many miles, and we have much room for a Hallowe'en party there!" 

A few girls, who were Dorothy's supporters (a bushy brown-hair girl, a girl with a coil of sandy-brown hair, and a shorter one with pink-red hair), all clapped, while a few people drawled, "yeah… Dorothy… go, it's your birthday…" 

Dorothy smiled again and sat down. 

"Hey, Rellie, like — where do you live?" the girl in the back, who didn't laugh with the others or clap, asked loudly. 

All heads turned back to Relena, who was sinking slowly in her seat. 

"The woods?" Dorothy asked loudly, smiling again. 

While everyone was laughing, Relena thought she should correct them, so she called loudly over them. "No… Yuy Estate." 

The laughter instantly stopped. Everyone leaned in their seats to look at her. "You actually live there?" The boy with the long braid asked her. He was sitting next to the blue-hair girl who asked the other question. 

"Yeah… so you've heard of it," Relena smiled a bit. 

"Hey, Mr. Jameston, this girl here has the wickedest, creepiest, house in all of Friendly, and we're out of a chillin' place to crash for the party, right? So why not crash at Relena's?" 

The girl nodded vigorously. "Like, yeah! Relena here has da bomb of a home, and it would rock to jam there!" 

"Duo, Hilde…!" Dorothy jumped up from her seat and turned to face the class. "I thought we decided to 'jam' at my house for Hallowe'en!" 

"How about a vote?" Mr. Jameston suggested. "Dorothy's?" 

Dorothy raised her hand, and only her friends (who Relena later learned to as Catherine, Sally, and Mariemaia) raised their hands. 

"Yuy Estate?" Mr. Jameston called. 

All hands but four went up. 

//_Brrrrriiinnnng_// 

"Class dismissed!" Mr. Jameston called over the shuffle of books. As each student got up, they all fell flat on their face but Hilde, Duo, and Relena. They walked out of the class with Mr. Jameston without a scratch on them. 

As they left, Relena turned to face Duo and Hilde. "Thanks, I'm really at your debt to having the party at my place…it means a lot." 

"No problem, but we've already been there!" Hilde piped up. She was a petite girl, a few inches shorter than Relena, and Relena (she knew horribly to herself) was short. 

"No, really — what?" Relena stopped and blinked at Hilde's words. "You've been in my house?" Now she sounded scared. 

"If you mean the ghosts, we knew about them," Duo whispered. "How 'bout it? Are they cool or what?" 

"Heero tied their shoes together," Relena said suddenly, more to herself than her new friends. "Heero; the ghost! I saw him at the back of the classroom behind you two and…" 

Hilde and Duo were grinning, and Relena blushed as she realized she had trailed off. Duo placed one arm around Relena's shoulders and Hilde placed hers around the other side. 

"Relena, I think this is the beginning of a _beaut-i-ful_ relationship," Duo grinned. 

Relena groaned. "Great, a _Casablanca_ fan… I'm in for a whole bunch of Humphry Bogart, aren't I?" 

"I had to put up with it since fifth grade. Enjoy, Rellie," Hilde nodded glumly. 

"Here's looking at you, kids," Duo grinned, and steered them down the hallway. 

>>> 

Heero watched from a safe distance as Relena began talking to the two, who he realized after a few seconds were the ones who were arguing over a photograph a long time ago. 

_How long had it been?_ Heero wondered, and then sighed. It was no use; his memory was gone and he wouldn't get it back… 

Yet a glimmer of hope rested with this girl. Why did he feel different around her? Was it because he hadn't seen a girl in nearly a hundred years? Or was there something special about her? 

Shaking off this feeling, he turned and walked away, knowing full-well that Relena was now in safe hands of Duo Maxwell and Hilde Shiebaker.   
  
The why did he feel like something was missing?   
  
  


AN: Hiya! Another treat for yeh out there! Casablanca fan here too — "Here's looking at you kid," and "I think is the beginning of a beautiful friendship (not relationship)", is not owned by me, Humphry Bogart says those lines (Here's looking at you kid 5 times!) in the movie Casablanca.   
OH! And just for you, Oracle At Delphi, stay sharp for the next chapter! Relena does some "investigating" just to who these Uncles are and what is Heero doing still in this world…   
hehehe… also, Delphi, don't worry about my homework, okay? I have March break now and only two projects to work on, so it won't be too hard to get at least part 6 up before I have to go back to school. And in the rate that I write, seven and eight may be up too! 

PS: For any of you who are wondering what asparagus is, no, it's not the veggie, but it's also (I think that's how it' spelled; I kinda forgot about it...) a type of pink fluff that is toxic when the insulation of a wall is not done properly. This happened in my cafeteria at my school, and we couldn't eat in there for three days -- we had to buy the food outside it and it was sooo cramped!! Okie... now, you see that little box that could either be green, blue, purple, and black? you sign your name, write a comment, and hit 'Submit!', okay? : )   
  



	6. A Breif History of the Yuy Family

##  Can I Keep You?

###  Part Six

  
''Relena,'' Hilde began, biting her fingernails before examining her work, ''How long have you lived in Yuy Estate?'' 

''About three days now, why?'' Relena asked her new friend. She, Duo, and Hilde were sitting outside the school on a low brick wall near the library. Duo was lying on the near-by picnic table, with one arm casually hung over his eyes to blot out the sun that was filtering through the tree's leaves. Hilde, however, sat next to Relena on the wall, one hand holding herself right, the other a cigarette in. 

''Just wondering… I'm glad you don't mind me smoking, I'm trying to quit''— 

''But she's not doing so well,'' Duo grinned from the picnic table. An open algebra book rested on his stomach. 

''If I was, would I be smoking right now?'' Hilde snapped. 

Relena smiled, and then checked her watch. ''I've got — Er, some _work_ to do in the library. D'you know if they have records of people who used to go to this school or that lived in Friendly?'' 

''They should,'' Duo replied. ''Why?'' 

''Research,'' Relena simply said. Duo and Hilde said nothing as she picked up her bags and placed her math book in. 

''Relena, right?'' a voice above them asked. Looking up, Relena saw the blond boy in her first class, and the one who apologized for Dorothy when they were on the bikes. 

''Yes. You are…?'' Relena asked. 

''Quatre Winner, pleased to meet you,'' he smiled, a brilliant one that made Hilde sway on the wall. She flicked some ashes off her cigarette and took a long drag before blowing it out, and peering at Quatre under her dark blue locks. 

''Nice to meet you,'' Relena smiled pleasantly, and took Quatre's hand he held out. 

''Anyway, Relena,'' Quatre began. ''You know the party is at your place but, um… I was wondering, would you be my date?'' 

Duo choked on the gummi bear he was eating, and Hilde choked on her cigarette smoke. Both broke out in coughs. Somewhere, in between, Relena heard, ''don't…in league…Dorothy.'' She wasn't sure if she imagined it or not, but she took the message for granted. 

''Quatre, I would like to go with you, but please give me some time to think about it,'' Relena stated, thinking that was a good choice of words. 

''Fair enough,'' Quatre nodded, somewhat somberly. ''Goodbye then.'' 

The three watched him walk away, and after a few yards, he disappeared around the school corner. 

''You were going?'' Duo finally regained his voice. 

''Yes; see you,'' Relena smiled, and took off in the same direction Quatre went, but she turned before he did and went back into the school. 

* * *

Relena got lost twice already, and Heero was not helping at all. One part that Relena wanted to find the library was to find out more about Heero and his past, hoping it would help him in some way. The other was part annoyance, as Heero didn't have a memory and got lost after two turns. 

''Relena, is it? No, you're going the wrong way, again!'' Heero snapped, pointing down another corridor. 

''Shut up, Heero! I know where I'm going and the library is this way,'' she snapped back at him, and he muttered something incoherent. 

Rolling her eyes, she turned to him, glanced both ways up and down the deserted hall, and sighed, ''Listen, Heero, I know you're trying to help, but I should do this on my own. Okay? Just, just let me do this and you can go back home and do what you want. I'll be fine, okay? Good, go.'' 

Heero stared at her for a moment, but sighed and muttered, ''it's your death-wish with my Uncles.'' Before fading away and disappeared altogether. 

Sighing with relief, Relena turned two more halls before she found the library, in the complete opposite direction Heero was dragging her to. 

She went right in, and marched up to the librarian's desk. 

''May I help you?'' he asked in a sharp tone. Relena winced. She once had a rude teacher like this a long time ago in New York, and he _hated_ her. 

''Yes,'' Relena began, keeping her voice down, ''I was wondering if you have any information on past residents of Friendly.'' 

''How old?'' he asked again, in the same sharp tone, but his brown eyes were less icy. 

''Um, I really don't know… I'm uh,'' Relena racked her brain, and came up with the excuse, ''I'm doing a project on old folklore of Friendly, Maine, and I'm interested in the family of the Yuy Estate.'' 

''Yuy Estate?'' now the librarian looked interested himself. ''Sure, well, _gosh_, no one in this school has ever asked about Yuy Estate's past residents! The whole volume?'' 

''Yes please,'' Relena smiled. _Off to a good start,_ she thought smugly, and then followed the librarian to the back of the library. 

''This is what I call the _Catacombs of Friendly's Library_,'' he called over his shoulder off-handedly. 

''How so?'' Relena asked, interested. _This was fun,_ she concluded, and there was no way she was going to miss an opportunity of asking questions. 

''Why? Because no one, and I mean no one, comes back here unless they're me, the janitors, or a history teacher. And they don't even like it back here.'' He answered. They turned another corner and Relena stopped short. There was piles and piles of old newspapers littering the ground. 

''Wow,'' she breathed. The room was a simple gray, concrete box, with a high arch doorway to come in and out of, but the desk in the center of the room, with a typewriter, and a photo-copier in the far corner was not what caught her attention. It was the amount of paper that was yellow, gray, and a fresh print color, that was on the ground, the desk, the drawers of the desk, the file cabinets around the room, the swivel chair, the shelves above the door. 

''Quite a site, isn't it?'' he simpered. ''Anyway, you see that one pile there? In the far back corner with the paper weight on it? That's the Yuy corner. Birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, land claims, report cards, newspaper clippings. Anything to everything on paper is there. Any questions, call for Otto, and I'll be here.'' He was then gone in a blur of dust he blew off of a photo-copier. 

''Great. I'll be here for a while,'' she murmured, and settled down on the ground, Indian style beside the Yuy pile. ''A _long_ while.'' 

* * *

Finally, by a near five, Relena had been through half the pile, and photo-copied a good twenty pages she would need for her task. 

_If I could have one wish,_ she thought sadly as she leafed through the article about Heero's mother's death, _it would be for Heero to have his memory back, and if they wouldn't work, it would be for him to join his parents._

''Still working?'' Otto's voice asked from above her. 

''Yes and no. I know what time period I want now, and I got most articles I need. I think I can go from this room, but I was wondering if you have any books on ghosts.'' Relena asked finally, standing from the dusty ground. 

''On ghosts? Hmm… I think I have three that would suit you best. What time period did you say?'' Otto asked, stroking his stubby beard thoughtfully. 

''The 1800's. From the time Odin Yuy was born to the his death, just after his son's,'' Relena stated a-matter-of-factly. 

''Yes…'' Otto said softly and sadly. ''Odin Yuy was a very fair man, liked by all. His son, from what my Grandparents said when they lived here, was that he was well liked, but very distant. His mother's death was a great loss for him. Her disease was quite quick and shocking.'' 

''Poor guy… I know how that feels,'' Relena nodded glumly. Loosing her step-sister, whom she thought of a mother-figure since her parents died in a car crash when she was a baby, was like Heero's coldness times three on her. 

Otto nodded. ''He was quite sad, poor lad. Anyway, after he was around fourteen, maybe fifthteen? He caught pneumonia. Couldn't be cured. Died a few days later. His father was now distraught and hung himself in the study.'' 

''What about the Uncles?'' Relena suddenly asked. ''Treize, Trowa, and WuFei?'' 

Otto frowned before his face split into a huge smile. ''Those three were bullies, but also pranksters. They were Heero's mother's only family since her parents drowned in a boating accident off the coast of Newfoundland. They stayed at the Yuy Estate until her death when Heero was young. Odin didn't like them much because they played jokes all the time on the house-workers and were out buying drinks all the time.'' 

''Well, I can say that they weren't the nicest bunch you could've met,'' Relena blurted out before she knew what she was saying, ''but once you know them, they do get nice.'' 

Otto frowned a for a second, but ignored her remark. ''They moved out once Heero died — Odin partly blamed them, you see, they were taking care of him when he got sick, but the most blame was on himself that he wasn't there for his son.'' 

''How sad!'' Relena exclaimed. 

Otto nodded. ''Yes…well, it's nearly six. You should be going, Relena. These are the books I got for you on ghosts.'' 

''Thanks,'' Relena replied and took the three, heavy-bound books. She then left the library and went into the cool, fading light of October. 

Only when she past a bench far away from the school did she check the books Otto gave her. She nearly laughed aloud when she saw one title, _Millardo Darlian's Guide to Dealing With Ghosts._ _How ironic,_ Relena thought, _I always knew Millardo's books and job was nutty, but now I'm reading it to help Heero!_

A bubble of laughter escaped, but she fought down the rest when she began walking again. At least she had a way to help Heero now, and with a plan. 

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone, pardon the lateness (three tests coming up, must study to not fail science). Anyway. I wrote that Relena's last name in part 5 was Peacecraft, but then realized a little too late that it was Darlian in all the others. So, excuse me on that. Also, I know this is a short segment, but I'm working on a lot of un-posted stories and I'm also beta-reading my friend's story, _A Twist To Every Story_. I'm also helping her on it, so since that is a long-three part series (I hope -- I can't stand to edit anymore) I'm devoting my time to that.

For anyone interested, her FF name is CajinKari.

Oh, and thank you to everyone who told me in the reviews that it's not asparagus, but abestos. Let's just say that someone had asparagus for lunch at one point and placed in it a pop can, then placed a burner under it, waiting for it to explode. It then splattered on the walls. And became crusty because it was behind the stage wall, where no one went unless there was a play. And everyone got sick because of ... um... some gas... yeah... and they had to close off the gym. That's it. Yeah. Okay. So, um, please review?

OH! And I found a muse! I think... he's so small I can loose him easily too. And I dunno where he is right now, but as soon as I find him, I'll tell you guys, k?? Heheeh...

PLEASE REVIEW!   
  



	7. The Plan

##  Can I Keep You?

####  Part Seven

  
**"Relena, where have you been?" Millardo asked, the second Relena stepped into the old house. She was surrounded suddenly by Millardo, Trowa, Treize, and WuFei, who were dressed in 70-style haircuts and aprons over dresses.******

** "Gee, four mother figures," she rolled her eyes, and said sarcastically. "Does the word 'library' mean anything to all of you?"******

** Millardo let out a long, sigh of relief, and nodded. "Okay, okay. You were at the library. Did you find anything?" He asked, pointing to her over-flowing backpack.******

** "Somethings," she replied slowly. "I need to go to my room and do my homework. See you at dinner!"**   
****   
** She then raced up the stairs, with Treize's exclamination, "How rude!" ringing in her ears.******

** _Can't let them find out,_ she thought, _can't let them know..._****__**

**She dropped her bag on her bed, and grabbed the bottom, turning it upside down. Her books came flying out of the bag, tumbling to the ground. She nodded quickly, calculating how long it would be before one of the four ghosts would come into her room invisible and watch her. She shivered.******

** _Do they know about the word 'privacy'?_ She cringed. She then stood up, weaved around the crowded room to the dresser, and looked in her mirror. She pulled her hair out of its ponytail and braids. She left it down, but placed clips in to keep it in place.******

** "Phase one, complete. Opperation "Bring Back Heero's Memory" is now in order," she grinned.******

* * *

** Heero sat in a dark corner of the house -- the attic was one of his favourite places to be. It was probably because no one could disturb him here, or it was because his Uncles knew that this was "his" place.******

** Glancing around the dusty attic, he spotted a stack of newspapers shoved between a large suitcase trunk and the wall. Creeping over, he pulled them out, also making more dust rise.******

** Coughing, he shook his head and brought a hand up to waff away the dust. Finally, once his eyes didn't sting anymore, he opened them and scanned the paper.******

** "Early this morning, Dr. Schmuck reports that the son of Friendly's scientist, Odin Yuy, had died of pneumonia late this morning. Heero Yuy, the son, was an only child and much more distant towards people, including his own father, once his mother died early on in his life. Even though he was not very social here in Friendly, I think I can speak for us all to say that he will be greatly missed. -- Charles Smith."******

**_ Is that who is my father? Odin Yuy? And... is that a picture of my mother?_ Heero thought, glancing over the picture.******

** His father was a tall, regal man, with a receeding hair line and a trimmed mustache. He wore in the photo a high-collar jacket over a white button-down shirt. Heero's eyes traveled to the other side, where a picture of his mother was. She was a prett lady, with long chocolate coloured hair, and twinkling eyes, that Heero suspected were gray, from a distant memory... that wouldn't come. She wore a high-collared dress too, except it had frills around the neck.******

**_ "Hush little baby, don't say a word... Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird...."_ a voice echoed in the depth of Heero's brain. A soft, femine voice sang the line over and over, and as soon as Heero tried to concentrate hard on it, it would fade away until nothing was left.******

** Heero threw the papers down and slammed his fist on the trunk.******

** "Dammit!" He growled. "Why can't I remember anything? Why can't I know who I am?"******

** He bowed his head, and sat there in the attic for a long time.******

* * *

** Faye looked up from outside the hotel to the graying sky and distant thunder that boomed. Dibs came up beside her, his hand still bandaged from nearly two weeks ago.******

** "Faye... do you think this will actually work?" Dibs asked tentivly.******

** "Dibs, shut up. Of course it's going to work. Its simple. _You_ can't even screw it up." Faye replied sharply, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "Listen, we go, say, 'Hey Mr. Darlian, guess what? We're firering you!' and he'd say something like, 'What?!' and we'd go, 'Yes, you're gone!'. Then you go into the house regardless to what he says, and start ripping apart his things -- ghosts can't hurt us, remember?"******

** "Then what happened to the priest?" Dibs asked, his lower lip quivvering.******

** Faye sighed. "Bad luck for him. Okay? Now, c'mon. Tomorrow we're gonna find that treasure and kick some ghost ass!"******

** Faye charged off to her car, and Dibs followed slowly behind. "It's going to be a loooong night," he sighed, then called out, "FAYE! WAIT UP!"******

** The thunder clapped louder, and a thin drizzle came down now. Faye was waiting by the car, tapping her foot impatiently.******

** She glanced at her Rolex watch and then back at a puffing Dibs as he came up to her. "About time."******

** He sighed, and held open the door for her as she slid in. She shut the door with a snap and Dibs ran around to the other side. Sliding in, he could only think one thing:******

** _Halloween is tomorrow. Tomorrow is All Hallow's Eve... and tomorrow the ghosts are their strongest...._******

* * *

**Snapple: Well, howdy ya'll. Yes, I'm in a cowboy mood, and yes this was short, but the next one WILL BE LONGER, I promise. And I don't break my promises. Ever.******

** C: yeah right...******

** J: argeed with C. Break promises.******

** Snapple: shut up you two. I can always find a new muse.******

** C: right, a new muse.******

** J: Uh huh... a new muse my butt******

**Snapple: **sigh** well, my new muses. You know Washu from Tenchi? Her two little "A" and "B" Washu's that agree on everything with her? Yeah, those are mine, but the letters are of the two guys I like. But they're replacable. I hoep they know that **glares at J and C********

** J: replacable. Right, right, right******

** C: Do you have the number for the Muses' Society for Treated Badly number?******

** J: No, thought you had it******

** C: I wouldn't be asking, would I?******

** J: Of course not, just asking******

**Snapple: shut up you two! bye everyone!**


	8. Faye's Plan and Heero's Pain

/\ /\ 

/\/\ 

{_ 'o' _}/}

/\/ /

Meow!!

Happy long weekend to all those in Canada, and Happy Memorial (is it? Or President's?) Day to all those Americans!

Can I Keep You? 8

Relena was coming downstairs from her room, where she had locked up her twenty-page diagram + plan to help get Heero's memory back. She whistled as she fingered the key in her pocket, knowing full well she would feel if one of the ghost's tried to take it form her.

"Relena, you must be a happy mood, my dear," the ghost called Treize said, as he appeared and floated along side with her.

"Somewhat," Relena grinned. "Actually, I'm hosting a Halloween party tomorrow night here… but I'm worried about… err… no offense or anything, but you guys showing up and scaring the beegeezies out of everyone."

Treize looked thoughtful – or as thoughtful as a ghost can look – and then nodded respectfully at Relena. "I'll see what I can do to make sure _some_ ghosts in this household will stay out of the way, Relena."

Relena's grin widened. She knew exactly what ghost he was thinking of. "Thank you very much, Treize. I know that Wufei will listen to you and not get in my way."

Treize looked over at her, a smile tugging on his ghostly lips. "My dear girl, you are very good at this. Are you going into your brother's career?"

"No… I want to be a fashion designer, or something to do with the arts. Maybe a journalist, I'm still not sure. I still have two years left, anyways." Relena answered, and waved 'goodbye' as she opened and closed the front door.

She still had a lot of research to do.

**

Heero watched Relena leave the house out of the top window in the attic, and continued to watch her. He narrowed his eyes at the sight of Faye and Dibs however, and watched as Dibs slowly climbed out of the sleek BMW. He called Relena over, and they begun their conversation.

Heero didn't think anything of it, until he saw Relena's face go red with anger. He knew he should get down there as soon as possible to help her; after all, his Uncles made _him_ look after the girl, but something was holding him back.

Sighing, he shook his head and went to "his" room, which Relena just-so-happened to chose as her own.

There, he collapsed on the fluffy bed, and closed his eyes. _Maybe I'll never regain my memories. But at least I will have someone to talk to… oh yeah, until she moves away or gets older. Then I'm screwed… dammit._

He fell into a dreamless slumber… (Yeah, even ghosts need to sleep sometimes!)

**

Relena had been walking down the street to a joke shop for some decorations. A car horn jumped her out of her thoughts.

"Relena, darling!" A voice called, and Relena looked over to the road where she saw Dibs and Faye in a car. Dibs slid out of the passenger side and walked up to Relena.

"Nice day, isn't it?" he asked with a grin. Relena nodded and began to move forward again when Dibs stopped her,

"Has your… brother had any luck yet, Relena?" he called. Relena stopped and turned to face him with politeness in her voice.

"Some, Dibs. He's getting there, but he needs more time. Excuse me, I have to get some things ready for my part tomorrow night," Relena replied. She then took a backwards step, a raised eyebrow telling him she had no intention on talking to him.

"When are you going to learn, Relena?" Dibs sighed. Relena pondered what he meant but showed no facial expression.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, think about it. Even ghosts can get a bit… horny, right?" Dibs grinned.

"Your point?" 

"Well, look at you! A young, teenaged girl… ghosts who haven't seen anyone in a long, long time," Dibs shook his head. "I'd doubt your brother wouldn't get them out."

"He will," Relena replied coldly.

"Oh, maybe eventually, but what about the money? You've got three more days, Relena, until our contract is up and you're left without a home, and your brother without a job."

Relena went red and began yelling at Dibs. "Don't you dare play that trick on my brother! He's a genuine ghost shrink, and he knows what he's doing! If you let him have the time he needs, he could get them out!"

"Except that you fancy one of the ghosts…" Dibs answered slyly. "Puts a damper on things, doesn't it? He's dead and you're alive…"

Relena blanched and glared at him. "I don't have time for the likes of you, Dibs."

"I think you can make time," Faye's voice said behind her. Twirling around, she came face to face with the bitch herself, and gasped.

"What's going on here?" Relena gasped.

"Oh… well, your brother has until tomorrow night to get the ghosts out, honey," Faye explained. "If not… well… I'm not afraid to make sure you… shall I say, fall down a well?"

Relena shivered suddenly and looked at her wrist, which Faye held on tightly, her fake nails digging into Relena's skin.

"And if I say no?"

"We can think of something," Faye replied, digging her fingers in Relena's wrist until blood oozed out.

Relena cried out softly and looked up. "Okay, okay! You win!"

Dibs opened the back passenger door and showed Relena in. He shut it tightly behind her and they got back into the car. They then drove off.

*-*-*-*

AN: OMG! I'm sooooo sorry that this is soooo late out! Thank you to all my faithful reviewers who stay with me throughout this story! I know I promised it to be longer, but this story just seems, "short chapters, more chapters" to me. Please forgive me and know that I still have school. After the 25th, I'm all yours, FFN! I hope you'll stay with me on this story, because it gets more interesting now and I also forget what happens in the movie ^^;;; (sheepish look) so thanks again for staying with me on the story.

-- Anita


	9. Twas the Night before Halloween and all ...

Can I Keep You

Can I Keep You? 9 

By: *Tracey* 

*-*-*-*-*

AN: Okay, I'm suffering from writer's block… whatever that is O.o … anyway… I want to say that I'm trying to get this series finished and over with as soon as I can, as exams are popping up and its not good when you're sitting in a portable drawing and calculating the Borh-Rutherford particle diagram and suddenly you see a scene with Relena and Heero dangling fifty-feet above choppy, ice cold waters and think, _Eureka! I've got it, Watson!_

Therefore, this chapter will be longer and the Halloween party goes into swing. Enjoy and thank you for sticking with me – it means a lot. And just to let you know, I'm writing for everyone out there who reads and even more for the people who review – you guys are my ego-boosters! 

*-*-*-*-*

This chapter is dedicated to **Jason M. Lee** who has read and reviewed a lot of my stories and has even sent me their stories to put on my ever-so-slow-to-construct website. Thanks, JML! 

***-*-*-*-***

Relena stared out the tinted window, and wouldn't look at Dibs, even when he would swerve around fully in his seat and ask her, "All right back there, Ms. Darlian?"

"Hnnn," Relena replied for the twentieth time, her arms still crossed. She would _not_ acknowledge Dibs or Faye if they asked her anything, and if it was crucial to answer, she would in Heero's monotone. She grinned inwardly to herself; _maybe it's been good that I've hung around a stubborn, emotionless ghost_.

"Relena, we're here," Dibs said, wringing his hands with a handkerchief, his eyes darting from side to side. 

Relena raised an eyebrow and turned her head to Faye. "The airport?"

"Well, we've got to stay somewhere. Plus, it's a quick get-away." Faye explained with a shrug of her shoulders. She took out a cigarette, lit it, and inhaled. A puff of smoke hung around her head as she let it out.

Fibs coughed into his hand, and Faye looked up sharply at him. "What?" she snapped.

"Er, Faye…" he trailed off, pointing upwards to sign above him. Relena and Faye both looked up to see in bold letters: **No smoking in this area. Please go to the areas designed for smoking. If found in non-smoking area, you will be fined $50…-- the head of the airport**

Relena laughed, finally wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, as she watched Faye stare dumbfounded at the sign. She had managed to calm down until Faye received a tap on the shoulder and turned to see a security guard behind her. Relena just started laughing again.

***-*-*-*-***

"Where the hell is she? Where is my little sister?" Millardo yelled, but it didn't seem to do much damage. He was too shaken up and worried about his baby sister to yell at some cynical ghost. 

"Maybe she's at a friends' house," Treize suggested, with a flick of his ghostly shoulders. "Call whots-her-name, Hilde something-or-the-other."

"Or that boys'," Wufei snickered. "Duo Maxwell. I remember when he used to come by here, thinking he could pull a prank on us."

"Shut up you two," came of soft voice from the shadows, where of course, Trowa was hidden. "She's not there. I checked a while back. She also wasn't outside. No one saw her… she's gone."

"Any idea where she could have gone?" Treize asked, swelling with anger. He seemed to have grown a soft spot for the literature-loving Darlian.

"No," Millardo sighed. "All she said was, 'I'm going out, see you later. I'm heading to the library'. A check of that place though, showed no sign of her being there anyways. Where can she be?" He finished off in a whisper, choking back tears. 

All three ghosts looked slightly miffed. "Well… where's Heero?" Wufei finally grumbled, but his growl didn't have much punch.

"Here," came the monotone holder himself, floating silently through the open doorway. "I saw her last with Dibs and Faye – she was yelling at the two about who-knows-what. It got her upset though. I left then. I never saw the end, but I assume she went with them."

"Why?" Millardo asked. "Why go with them? She never liked Faye at the beginning when we all met, too."

"Maybe," Treize began, stroking his invisible chin, and making the ghost whips stretch, "maybe she went with them without a choice. It was either/or."

"And…?" Millardo prompted. 

"They took her somewhere." Treize concluded smartly. 

"Gee, that really helps us. We're not bloody _bloodhounds_, you fool!" Wufei snapped, slamming his fist into the wall. It went through and he nearly cart wheeled through it. 

Running a hand through his blond locks, Millardo sighed. "Should I call the police? Those part doers of Relena's will wonder what she's not doing, showing up at school."

"Yeah," Heero agreed. "But there's one thing we didn't count in."

"And that is _what_, Mr. Lowe?" Trowa asked, a bit sarcastically. 

"Hilde and Duo were waiting across the street when Faye and Dibs were talking to Relena."

***-*-*-*-***

"Duo, hurry up! We can't let the car get out of site!" Hilde whined, clinging to the back of Duo, as he pedaled as fast as he could after the racing black car.

"Hilde!" Duo panted. "This – is – a frickin' – _freeway_! There's – no – way I can – go as fast as – a – car!" 

"Well, dammit Duo, **try**!" Hilde snapped. She widened her eyes as the car turned off the ramp. "Right, right you idiot!"

"I'm a goin', I'm a goin'," Duo grumbled, and turned right off the freeway. 

Finally, they reached a slower speed and Duo and Hilde watched as the slowed down and turned into an old airfield. 

"Planter's Airport?" Hilde mumbled. "The old port that holds those old WWII planes?"

"Yeah… isn't it a museum now or something?" Duo asked in response. 

"Something," Hilde murmured back, and they hid in the bushes near the door. "Still, it has a lot of newer things to it."

"Like what?" Duo asked, frowning.

Hilde grinned wickedly and pointed. "Like _that_."

Duo looked up to see Relena doubling over in laughter, and Faye pulling out a wad of bills from her wallet and handing them over to the guard who was still pointing at the "no smoking" sign. Dibs just placed his head in his hands and shook his head back and forth.

Duo chuckled quietly. "I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it!"

"Well, you saw it and you _do_ have the cell phone with you, so we can call Millardo, right?" Hilde asked.

Duo blanched. "What cell phone?"

***-*-*-*-***

"Where is the airport?" Millardo asked, turning his steering wheel hard to the right, when Wufei shouted out, "THAT WAY!"

"Look out for that car!" hollered Treize, clinging onto the front seat. 

"We don't need another ghost along with us!" Trowa snapped, but nonetheless pointed out the direction. They finally reached the gravel road, and spotting Hilde and Duo bickering in the bushes didn't lift their spirits off the ground much.

"Where is she?" Millardo asked, squatting next to them. 

"Er… there," Duo said, grinning a bit, as he pointed through the bush leaves. Millardo and the ghosts peeked through, and saw Relena on the ground, laughing, and Dibs was having a hard time controlling his own straight face. Faye was still cashing out her money to the guard. 

"Shall we?" Millardo asked, turning to the ghostly trio, as he so named them. He turned back to Duo. "Your father is a great mechanic… is it passed down?"

"I think so," Duo said slowly, before catching on. "Right-o!" he and Hilde disappeared.

"Yes," Treize said, grinning. He floated up a bit and motioned with his hand for the others to follow him. Heero was going to lead Relena away from Faye and Dibs.

"Yoo-hoo…" Treize called playfully. He coughed before beginning. "Oh! Hark – Dr. Millardo has driven me out of thy home — OW!"

Wufei had poked him hard in the ribs, and he glared at him. "Cut the theatrics, Treize."

Treize sniffed, but did what he was told. However, he was quite monotonous. "I'm out of my damn house, pay the damn man and then everything will be okay."

Faye raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so. Dibs!"

Dibs stood from his crouched position by the wall, and said, "yes, Faye?"

"Check?" 

"Uh… in the bank still, Faye," he said in a slight businessman voice. 

"And when can we get the money?" Faye asked again, this time about to light a cigarette, but stopping as she remembered what happened last time.

"In a week… and the ghosts must be out of the house for a week – and they can't come back inside or else money will return to us," Dibs explained using a bored voice. Suddenly he perked up. "Faye!"

"What, Dibs?"

"He's got Relena!" Dibs nearly shouted. 

"What?" Faye snapped, turning around on her thin heels and watched Relena and Heero walked slowly away from them. When Relena realized she was caught, she began running, and Heero was right behind her, pacing the way.

"Get to the car, Dibs!" Faye snapped. They both took off running to the car, and slammed the doors shut once they were inside. 

Relena, Millardo, and Hilde all popped into Millardo's station wagon, all waving and sticking out their tongues.

Millardo poked his head out from the driver's seat. "Till tomorrow, Faye!" and gunned the engine, before they took off. Duo, on the bike, wasn't far behind.

"Now, Faye, now!" Dibs nearly shouted, bouncing in his seat. 

Faye turned the key, but nothing happened. There was a _whir_ sound, but then the car stilled. She tried again, but still no luck.

"Damn," she groaned, then slammed her fist on the steering wheel. She placed her head on the top of the wheel and moaned. Dibs wasn't far behind her.

***-*-*-*-***

"Thank you," Relena said to Hilde and Duo, as they waved and walked away from old house. She smiled. _It was nice to actually have friends_, she concluded.

"Relena," Millardo's voice behind her said. She didn't turn around, but continued to look out over the town, where the sun was setting.

"Yes?"

"We were worried… are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine – what do you mean, 'we were worried'?" Relena stopped mid-sentence.

"We were the ones who were worried, as much as Wufei won't admit it," Treize said coming up beside her. Wufei and Trowa stood beside him, all watching her with concern. 

"Wait, where's Heero?" Relena asked, looking around. Her heart began thumping loudly at the thought of him. She was sure everyone could hear it.

"He disappeared. We think he wants to be left alone," Trowa explained, trying to read her face. "Anyway. You've had a long day. Time to go to bed Relena."

"But I'm not t-t-tired," Relena stifled a yawn. She then grinned. "Okay, okay. I'm going."

She disappeared up the steps with the others behind her. Unbeknown to them was that Heero heard and watched everything. 

_Tomorrow's the party… when was the last time I had fun? Well, it doesn't matter… I won't be alive again ever, so, oh well…_ Heero thought and went invisible. 

Maybe this year he'd get his wish though.

***-*-*-*-***

Hope that keeps you on your seat… **coughs** Will Heero and the others arrive in time to save Relena? Or can she save herself? What about Duo and Hilde? Will they ever remember things in important times? Find out next time… on _Can I Keep You?_

-- *Tracey*


	10. ...Not a ghost was stirring, not even Wu...

Can I Keep You

Can I Keep You? Chapter 10

By: *Tracey* 

*-*-*-*

[**Keoko-sama**][1]: you think I give too much away? O.o I didn't mean that in the end, I wrote it before I actually started the chapter ^^; Whoops. 

[**Jason M. Lee**][2]: Blooper? Blooper? Where? ((Looks wildly around last chapter)) Noooo! Where?? O.o bad Tracey, bad!

Anyway, thanks for the reviews, and on with the story!

*-*-*-*

"Relena, are you ready? Your party is going to be here soon!" Hilde called from Relena's room, through the bathroom door.

"Hilde, I am _not_ coming outside looking… like… like _this_!" Relena's voice hissed through the door in agony. "I feel like an idiot!"

"You are an idiot for letting Hilde pick out your dress, Relena," Duo piped up, from where he was sitting on the bed. Hilde glared at him, and watched as he just shrugged back at her.

"Relena, just come out, please?" Hilde asked. "Come on… I promise we won't laugh."

"Promise?"

"I swear on my reputation that if I laugh, I can fall down the stairs to the party and make a larger idiot out of myself than you," Hilde pledged.

"Fine," Relena finally said, and pushed open the bathroom door. Hilde and Duo promptly burst out laughing. "You guys!"

Hilde fanned herself and gasped, "sorry – but you have to admit, it's pretty funny!"

Relena sighed and turned back into the bathroom, readjusting the low-cut dress. She was dressed up like a saloon girl in the 1800's, and had on the frilly hairpiece. "Do I really look that silly?" She finally sighed.

"Very," came Treize's voice, as he appeared behind her in the bathroom. 

Relena turned to face the transparent ghost. "Am I authentic?"

"How should I know? I wasn't alive at the time," he huffed. 

"Come on…" Hilde pressed, teasingly.

"Fine!" Treize snapped. He turned back to Relena, "You look wonderful – like a showgirl."

Relena blanched and Duo burst out laughing again. He was dressed as the guy from _Scream_ (what else?). Hilde had on a playboy bunny outfit, but it was toned down a lot more. When Relena asked her what she was being, Hilde replied, "Bridget Jones's in that one scene where she goes to the party."

Relena didn't know what she was talking about, since she never saw _Bridget Jones's Diary_.

Millardo appeared in the doorway, knocking. "Relena, they're arriving and looking awfully scared." He turned to Treize. "Got the trouble-makers out of the house tonight?"

"Yes," Treize replied. "They're head-hunting with the Bloody Baron in England."

Millardo forced a smile. "Right then… um, ready Honey?"

"Ready, Millardo," Relena replied, and she and her two best friends left her bedroom, jumping with excitement.

*-*-*-*

"Ouch! Dorothy, cut it out!" 

"Stop complaining, Quatre, this is only for fun. After all, not everyone lives in a big, scary mansion like Miss Relena Darlian," Dorothy's voice said, breaking the still of the night. She had climbing in through one of the downstairs windows, and Quatre was helping her up.

"Dorothy, we shouldn't be doing this," Quatre said, a little shakily. "This place is _huge._ A lot larger than your estate, and we don't want to meet any – err – guests in the house."

"Quatre, you prat, they aren't any ghosts in here. It's a legend. A myth, to keep people like us out," Dorothy said, using her most logical voice.

Quatre sighed and nodded. "Okay. Fair enough. I believe you. Now, can we do something else and go to the party?"

"NO!" Dorothy hissed, turning around to face him sharply on the ledge to go inside of the house. "I will not let Relena Darlian, the new girl, better me! I _will_ show her how pathetic this party is and what a loser she is!"

"Right," Quatre said, a little bored of hearing this before. "Dorothy, I just want to go to the dance. Okay?"

"No, it's not okay!" Dorothy snapped. "You're coming in here with me."

She reached over, and grabbed the edge of his windbreaker and pulled him inside the house after her. They window shut with a sharp _snap!_

*-*-*-*

The party was in full swing once Relena got downstairs. Duo was supporting a protesting Hilde, who was still rubbing her nose. She had tripped on her way down the stairs out of Relena's room.

"Relena, thanks for letting us use this place for our Halloween party!" Mr. Jameston, her first-period teacher said, smiling. "Everyone's enjoying themselves – I guess this place isn't really haunted after all!"

"Nope, not at all," Relena answered him, a trace of a smile on her lips. She glanced back at Duo and Hilde, who had reached the bottom of the stairs, and shook her head as she watched Hilde smack Duo with her hands for helping her down.

"Relena," a voice said. Relena turned to see one of Dorothy's supporters, the girl with the bushy hair, ask.

"Yes…?" Relena trailed off.

"Catherine. Catherine Bloom," the teen introduced herself, and Relena shook hands with her. "I want to warn you."

"Warn me?" Relena repeated, stupidly.

"Yes; Dorothy is planning something to ruin your party. She was talking about it to us and only broke off when Quatre came up to her. They're in it together, I'm sure of it," Catherine stated.

"How can I trust you?" Relena asked, narrowing her eyes. "Dorothy could've asked you to say that to me."

Catherine shook her head. "I know you can't trust me – I'm her 'friend'. But you need to believe me here, that I'm saying this on my own will."

"Cathy!" a voice called, and Relena and Catherine turned to see the girl with the pink-red hair, the girl with the coiled hair, and once with jet-black hair beckon her over.

"In a second, Mariemaia!" Catherine called, and waved, over the music.

Relena rose her eyebrows. "Mariemaia?"

Catherine shrugged. "She's got weird parents. Named her after her Grandmother. Her Grandfather died a long time ago. He lived in this house, actually. She doesn't like coming here."

"What's her last name?" Relena asked. 

"Khushrenada. Listen, Relena. You need to believe me, okay? Bye!" Catherine said in once breath, and disappeared into the crowd. It was only until Relena had reached the food table when she remembered the name. 

_Khushrenada! That's Trieze's last name!_ Relena thought, and looked around for the ghost. Not seeing him, she excused herself from the party and began to look around. 

_What's going on here? Is there something about this family's past that I really don't know?_ Relena thought. _Well, whatever it is, I need to get to the bottom of it before I tell Heero about his past! Or, well, show him, but… whatever. I need to know Treize's family past… in order to make sure I know the future of this house. Something tells me Faye and Dibs will be back…_

*-*-*-*

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. I don't own Bridget Jones's Diary [even though it was a great movie] and I don't own the movie Scream, either. The Bloody Baron belongs to Joanna K. Rowling, and he's the Slytherin ghost. 

Have a nice day.

I also don't own that. That's from Coyote Ugly. Dammit… what do I own?

   [1]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=Directory-AuthorProfile&UserID=33076
   [2]: http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=Directory-AuthorProfile&UserID=19512



	11. All Hallow's Eve [aka The Party]

Can I Keep You

Can I Keep You? Chapter 10

By: *Tracey* 

/*/*/*/

Relena looked both ways as she quietly slithered past the refreshment table and around the staircase. She did a quick backwards glance to make sure no one was following her, and then proceeded in going upstairs to the second landing.

She then went left to the library, then right after she found the heavy oak doors, and hissed inside the room, "Treize? You here?"

"Relena?" came a musty voice. A pause, then a cough as dust blew up around a darkened corner where the light from the hallway didn't touch. 

"Treize," Relena sighed in relief. "There you are. I need to ask you something before I go back to the party."

"What?" he asked slightly miffed that she caught him in the middle of his reading period. He hastily shoved the V.C. Andrews book behind a higher volume of dictionaries and smiled pleasantly at her. "Cat got your tongue?"

"What happened to your wife? And why is Mariemaia Khushrenda so afraid to come into this house?" Relena blurted. 

Treize said nothing, but the shocked look on his opaque face was enough. He then sighed and floated slowly to the ground. "I wasn't expecting that."

"I know."

"Do you really want to hear the whole story? It's not something I tell very frequently, so feel special."

"I always do."

Another sigh, a pause, and then, "Fair enough. You know that this house was built a long time ago, correct?"

"Yeah," Relena replied, bunching up her saloon girl skirt and shutting the door behind her with a smart, _crack_. "Go on." She seated herself in one of the old armchairs.

"Well, the man who built it was Heero's father, Odin Yuy. You know that – I saw your work that you collected. He asked us, his fiancée's brothers, to come and live with him in this house. We were all the younger of an older brother, you see, and he had inherited the estate back in England." Treize sighed and had a dreamy look on his face that showed he was remembering something. 

"You came here then, right? And Odin met Heero's mum," Relena supplied. 

"Yes," said a wistful Treize, as he smiled in the dark of the study. "She was beautiful, my sister, and Odin was lucky to have met her. They moved in with us here in Yuy Estate.

"Here, they started a family. Everything was great, except for when Trowa got a plan and Wufei and I went along with it… alas, everything was wonderful." Treize grinned, but then his face grew somber. "That is, until my sister was diagnosed with consumption."

"Consumption?" Relena repeated dumbly, until she made an 'o' with her mouth. "Oh, you mean T.B.!"

"T.B.? Is that was it's called now? Two little letters?" Treize asked, frowning. 

"No, its called tuberculosis but shortened down to TB." Relena sighed. "I'm sorry. That's what my step-sister died to, too."

"Very sorry, m'dear," Treize sighed. "Shall I continue?"

"Please."

"Right-o. After she died, Heero became more withdrawn from everything around him, since the age of at least eleven. He knew what happened, no one told him different. But after… it seemed like he was completely different."

"Um, pardon for interrupting, but I asked about _you_, not Heero at the moment," Relena chided. 

"I know. But you need to understand that when Heero did this, a friend of his from school stopped by and said how withdrawn he was – well, that 'friend' happened to be his teacher. And well," Treize blushed here, "I had been drinking that night, and she was attractive…"

"Whore?" Relena smirked.

"Not at all! If it wasn't for me…" Treize trailed off. "Annie… that was her name. Well, I called her that. Her true name was Anne. Anne Mariemaia Une. So… err… we fooled…"

"Spare me, get on with it."

"Cheers, Relena. Right to the point, like that in you."

"Please don't hit on me. It's sad," Relena teased.

"Yes, so… after that, she found out she was pregnant and left for New York. Left dear ol' Friendly, Maine."

"And you."

"Yes, she broke my heart, but had every reason. No one should find out what I did, and what she did. So she hired another person to teach, and disappeared one day. Before she left, thought, I made her promise that she tell our child what happened when they were old enough, and for them to pass it down to their children. It was only natural for them to know what I had done," Treize sighed. 

"You take complete blame?" Relena nearly shrieked. She ran a hand through her honey hair. "_That's_ wrong, Treize."

"I know. But I needed to say something," Treize said. "No one night stand." He laughed indignantly. There was a pause in the air, and tension was felt. Relena sorted her thoughts before asking quietly, "do the others know?"

"Know? Oh yes, Trowa and Wufei egged me on. Odin…" Treize trailed off. "He knew too – and you can't imagine the guilt I felt. I was one of the most trusted amongst us brothers. I abused that trust, and therefore Odin didn't think highly of me anymore."

"That must have been hard, I'm sorry," Relena said softly. 

"It was," Treize said, closing his ghostly eyes against the pain he felt within. "You can't imagine. But I lived with it. I still do. But I never go to tell Odin that I was sorry for breaking his trust in me… it was never the same afterwards…"

"What about Mariemaia?" Relena asked, forcing a smile to Treize. 

"I suppose she knows, but wishes not to come here. After all, why come to the place where your Grandmother and Grandfather slept? The same place where her father was conceived?" Treize laughed bitterly, poison behind the words. 

"Treize…" Relena trailed off. She bit her lip and suddenly looked at the ground. "I'm so sorry for bringing this all up again. It must be painful to see your Granddaughter down there, enjoying herself without you talking to her."

"It is. But I'm used to it. Used to being screamed at, yelled at, swore at," Treize said, angrily. Not at her, but at people themselves. "You learn and adjust."

"It must hurt," Relena choked, biting back tears. 

"It does. More than anyone can imagine," Treize said, choking too, but blinked and looked around the dusty room. "Dusty in here, isn't it? I'm choking up. Well, off you trot. Got a party to host," he smiled, "Cheerio, Relena."

"Bye," she whispered, getting up off the armchair and leaving the room. She opened the door, and stepped out, but peered back in. Treize had his head in his hands, and appeared to be heaving ghostly sobs. 

She bit her lip and closed the door. _Sorry…_

*-*-*-*

"Duo!" Hilde shouted over the noise. 

"Yeah, babe?" Duo shouted back, dancing over to her.

"Where'd Rel go? I don't see her talking to the Indiana anymore," Hilde said, pointing at Catherine, who was dressed as an Indian.

"No idea," Duo said, scanning the crowd for her, and suddenly, "Oy! What's she doing up there in the study hallway?"

"Study hallway?" Hilde repeated. 

Duo nodded. "Let's go talk to her. She looks upset about something."

"Something," Hilde nodded. 

They both walked towards the stairs when they heard a low moan override the stereo system and reverb throughout the entrance hall.

"I thought Treize said all the ghosts were out for tonight," Hilde said to Duo, shakily. 

"So did I. D'you think they returned early?" Duo asked, frowning.

"No… Trowa, Wufei and Heero have a better decency than to ruin Rel's party," Hilde said, narrowing her eyes. "I think someone else is behind all this."

"Dorothy?" Duo asked.

"Yeah," Hilde replied. They saw Relena head back towards them, down the stairs with a thoughtful expression on her face. "She hasn't heard it yet."

"Silly thoughtful, studious girl," Duo mumbled. 

"Hey!" Hilde smacked him. 

"Sorry," answered Duo, rubbing his arm. "Death does not get beaten."

"Say that to the 'ghosts'," Hilde grinned. A large white sheet had appeared at the edge of the entrance hall, where the passage leads to the kitchen. The 'ghost' had pale, pale make up on, and red eyes. It was also an unceremoniously long body.

Hilde raised an eyebrow, and laughed. "Duo, they're pathetic! Dorothy is riding on Quatre's back!"

"Sad," Duo shook his head. He then grinned. "A surprise?"

"Surely you mustn't…"

"Ah, but I am…"

"Lets." Hilde finally answered, and they crept up behind the 'ghost'. 

"Oooh… What have you all done to awaken me? The great, the one the – OW!" The last part was screeched by a female, its male tone disappearing. 

Hilde and Duo grinned, and as the 'ghost' breezed by (smelling like lilacs and roses and all things pretty), Hilde and Duo slammed their feet down on the cloth and watched the 'ghost' choke.

Dorothy's pale and make-up-ed face turned to tell off whoever was holding them down, but at a quick glance upwards to the study second landing, made her think twice. Quatre created a peephole and screamed along with her at the sight of a very, very angry Treize.

They ran right out of the entrance hall and through the doors. Relena had reached the bottom of the stairs now, and people turned to look at her.

"Happy Halloween?" she asked timidly. Everyone (or many) nodded and bought it, the music continuing and people talking gaily.

"Something bugging you?" Duo asked when he and Hilde stepped up to Relena. 

"Yeah… I just heard Treize tell me about his past. He has no problem remembering it. And sometime earlier, I overheard Wufei and Trowa having no problem too… so why can't Heero remember anything?" Relena finally asked, lowering her head into her arms. 

"I don't know," Hilde said gently. She shared a glance with Duo and he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Why? I'm getting all this information and I don't have –" Relena broke off, a faraway expression on her face.

"Relena?" Hilde asked uncertainly.

"Yeah, _dudette_, are you okay?" Duo asked, frowning. "Death doesn't like to be tricked."

"Things," Relena breathed. "_Things!_"

"Yeah, so we heard. What do you need these said things for?" Hilde snapped. 

"Heero… remember… things from past!" Relena mumbled. She then got up and dashed away. But as soon as her foot was on the stairs, she came back and said hurriedly, "Hilde, Duo, you guys are great. One problem. Faye and Dibs will be back. I know they will and they want to know what the Yuy Estate treasure is. I think I may know from geographical and geothermal maps of this area. I need to go upstairs, and find Trowa and Wufei. They can tell you. Then, I want you guys to watch out for said people."

"Right. And then what?" Duo asked, carefully watching Relena's glowing face.

"Stall them. Obviously they want the treasure, but how can we give proof unless they steal it?"

"Fake?"

"Completely."

/*/*/*/

So. Does anyone know what Relena's plan is? Does anyone have any ideas to how she's going to trigger Heero's mind? No? Yes? Drop me a line in the review and tell me. The next chapter will most likely be the second last. Yeah, I'm stopping at the second greatest number in history, number _13_. Please read and review! Thanks!


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